“Really?”
“You heard something?”
“Yes.”
“That’s unusual.” She gave me an appraising look, clearly storing that information away for later.
I stepped further into the house and shut the door. Almost immediately, an awful stench washed over us. Emma flinched and raised a hand to her mouth, then shot me a glance. “Okay, that I noticed.”
“We should have probably brought plague masks.”
She laughed weakly, raising her arm to cover her mouth with her sleeve. “It’s fine. It’s probably part of the haunting.”
“The house definitely doesn’t want me here.” I patted the doorframe next to me as if trying to convince it that I meant no harm. “But we’re going to change that.”
“Definitely.” Emma stepped further into the house. Underfoot, the floorboards moved beneath the carpet, creating waves of polyester that were difficult to walk on. She stumbled to a spot by the wall and pressed herself back against it. “I think its extra annoyed that I’m here.”
“I hate to say it, but I agree.” I’d at least been able to walk last time I’d been there.
“It’s not a problem.” She drew in a deep breath, pressing her hands to the wall behind her. “I’ll see what I can find.” Her magic flared on the air, vibrating around me with the scent of honeysuckle and jasmine. “Hello? Is anyone there?”
Silence followed.
She frowned, a glint of concentration entering her eyes. Her magic flared more strongly, a distinct addition to the air that made my skin prickle. She was powerful.
“Any ghosts in the area, I request that you show yourself. Now.” The firmness in her voice made me twitch. A strong desire to follow her order filled me, and I wasn’t even a ghost.
Except nothing showed itself.
After a while, Emma turned to me, a frown on her face. “If there were a ghost here, they’d have felt compelled to show themselves. They wouldn’t have been able to stop themselves from appearing.”
“Huh.” I leaned against the wall, frowning. “So, no ghost.”
She nodded. “Could be a curse.”
“I’ll need a curse detection spell for that.”
“We have the ingredients at headquarters, and I could make one, but it would take a while. The quickest way to get one would be to visit Seaside Spells, the shop at the end of Foxglove Lane. They sell all sorts of potions, and they’ll definitely have one.”
“Thank you.” As much as I wanted to send more business her way, I was in a legitimate hurry. “I really appreciate this. What do I owe you?”
“Nothing. First-timer discount.” She grinned.
“No, I have to pay you something.”
“How about you come to girls’ night?”
“What’s that?”
“Some of my friends and I get together on Thursday night for drinks and a chat.”
“That sounds like more of a favor to me than a way to pay you back.” All the same, my heart leapt at the idea of having friends. Emma was cool, and I’d love to hang out with her.
She shrugged. “We need fresh blood, and I like you.”
“Thanks. I like you, too.” Okay, this was getting nerdy. Or sappy. It was getting something, and I needed to chill out. “Where and when?”
“Potions & Pinot, the wine bar on Foxglove Lane. Seven o’clock tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there.” I looked around for our familiars, realizing that they’d never joined us. “Good luck finding Penelope. I’m sure Poa has led her around back to engage in some property destruction or some other kind of light crime.”
Emma grinned. “Penelope is one step ahead of her. Don’t worry about it.”
I grinned, then waved her off and turned back to the house. I propped my hands on my hips and frowned. “So, you’re not haunted. But there’s definitely something going on here. If it’s a curse, I’m going to get to the bottom of it and cure you.”
The house didn’t say thank you, of course. It only acknowledged me by strategically popping a floorboard that sent me onto my butt. I landed with a hard thud, and frustration flared.
No. I wouldn’t let this house get the better of me. “Cute, but you can’t scare me away. We’re going to be best friends, you’ll see.”
The house groaned again, and I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be back.”
I left, shutting the door carefully behind me. Poa was nowhere to be seen, but I knew she could take care of herself.
As quickly as I could, I hurried down to the boathouse and got in my car, then drove into town. It was a bit busier at this hour—nearly lunchtime—but I was still able to find a parking space pretty close to Seaside Spells.
I gave the sparkling blue sea a long, lingering look. Now that I lived here, I couldn’t get enough of it. The sight, the sound, the scent—it all cleared my mind and gave me perspective.
After I’d had my fill, I turned away and looked at Seaside Spells. The three-story building was made of the same stone as the other buildings in town, but it was by far the quirkiest one of the lot. There were four crooked chimneys and diamond-pane windows on the second floor. The blue sign over the door proclaimed, Seaside Spells: The Finest Purveyor of Magical Potions & Spells in the United Kingdom.
“All right, then,” I murmured. “You’re sure to have what I need.”
I crossed the street and pushed open the wooden door, entering the charming space. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling, and the shelves were filled with sparkling glass bottles and objects that vibrated with magic. To my right, a spiral of wands decorated the wall, each marked with a tiny label that displayed its special properties. Cauldrons were stacked against the stairs, and a fire in the hearth burned faintly, a welcome warmth after the autumn chill.
In front of the hearth, a black and white cat snoozed. The creature didn’t seem to notice me enter, or it didn’t care, because it didn’t so much as flick its tail.
An older woman bustled out from the back room, her white hair piled into a neat knot on top of her head. Her floral dress was the epitome of grandmotherly attire, and it made me wish that my grandmother had been more traditional. Or that she’d liked me more, at least. I wouldn’t have cared if she’d worn a leather catsuit and driven a Harley-Davidson if she’d shown she loved me.
Whoa.
Where had that come from? I’d known I’d had some demons, but that one had come screaming out at the sight of this woman. I should probably get myself into therapy at some point.
She smiled warmly at me. “Hello, dear. How can I help you?”
I smiled back at her, trying to banish any trace of my thoughts. “Hi. I’m here for a curse-revealing spell, if you have one.”
“Oh, certainly.” She picked up an enormous bottle of Coke and took a sip.
It was an entirely unexpected gesture, and I blinked.